Means for decorating refrigerated containers



Jan. 17, 1933. R. H. s'rRAlT v1,894,476

MEANS FOR DECORATING REFRIGERATED CONTAINERS v Filed April s, 195; 4 l

A rra/ENE Y Patented Jan. v 17, `1933 UNITED srafras PATENT .Price RALPH H. 's'IRAIn or LIGONIER, INDIANA, AssIGNoR rro HssMANN-LIGONIER u',

` COMPANY, OP sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION oF DELAWARE MEANS POR DECORATING REPRIGRRATED ooNfr-AINERs Application filed April 3, 1,931. 'Serial No. 527,394.

This invention relates generally to an improved method of and =means for decorating refrigerated containers and the like, and more specifically to an applique arrangement for displaying on a refrigerated container or other structure a decorative element bearing identifying matter referring to either the manufacturer of the container or the user thereof, the predominant object of the inlo vention being to provide an improved method and means whereby a refrigerated container may be provided with a decorative device adapted to receive one of a-plurality of decorative elements which, as desired, 15 may identify the manufacturer of the refrigerated container, or the user thereof.

Prior to this invention, refrigerated containers have been provided with name plates which identified the manufacturer of said 2O containers. Also, heretofore it has frequently happened that users of refrigerated containers demanded that name plates which identified suchusers of said containers be placed on the containers bythe manufac- 25 turers thereof. This situation caused quite a bit of inconvenience and annoyance to the manufacturers of the refrigerated containers, and the main purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved method 30 and means whereby a container may be provided w'ith a decorative device which may receive as a decorative part thereof either an element which identifies the manufacturer or a similar element which identies the user 35 of the container. In this way the manufacturer of refrigerated containers may produce the containers with the decorative devices in place thereon, and before the containers are delivered to the users either elements identifying the manufacturer 'or elements identifying the users of the containers may be incorporated as decorative parts of the decorative devices in accordance with the wishes of said users. Thus the trouble and annoyance formerly encountered in connecadds greatly to the decorative value of the containers.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved decorative device disclosed herein.

, Fig. 2 vis a vertical section on the stagf gered line 22 of Fig.A 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of ythe decorative device.

in the drawing, wherein is shown forthe purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention. A designates the improved decorative device generally, said decorative device being shown attached tov a wall B of a refrigerated container or the like. The decorative device A comprises a body portion 1 which is lprovided with a decorative appearance, the particular body portion shown being' provided with irregular top andbottom edges, and has a fluted Vforward face, as indicated. at 1 in Figs. 1

formed therethrough, and extended entirely i yabout the marginal 'edge of said opening is a shoulder 4 which is arranged in a vertical lane said shoulderbein arranged within a .recess 4 which likewise surrounds the opening 3. This shoulder in turnis surrounded by a continuous raised, bead-like element 5, which extends outwardly from the forward face of the body portion, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the body portion 1 preferably comprising an integral structure which includes the shoulder 4' and bead-like element 5. The bead-like element illustrated in the drawing resembles a keystone in shape, but it is perfectly obvious that such bead-like element may be of any other desired shape.

Arranged in the recess 4; and within the confines of the continuous bead-like element 5 is a panel 6 which is shaped to correspond to the shape of said bead-like element. They panel is secured in place by means of fastening devices 7 which pass through apertures formed through the panel and extend into apertures formed in the portion of the body portion which surrounds the opening 3, said r panel being drawn into close contact with 5 the shoulder 4 hereinbefore referred to by said fastening devices. The panel 6 is provided onits forward face with matter which may be displayed in a decorative manner and which identifies the manufacturer of the con- Y 10 tainer or the user thereof. Also, if preferred,

thepanel may present any other decorative display desired. t

In the useof the invention disclosed herein, the refrigerated container or other structure may be produced with the decorative device A in place thereon, so that'the stock of such structures accumulated by the manufacturer would be uniform in every respect, the panels 6 ofthe decorative devices on said structures bearing identifying matter referring to the manufacturer.V When the refrigerated containers or other structures'are sold, the users of said structures `may accept the structures with the manufacturers panels in place as parts' of the decorative devices thereof, or, if

such users demand that panels bearing identifying matter referring to themselves, or

merely decorative panels, be employed as parts of the decorative devices, such panels would be produced and substituted for the Y manufacturers panels formerly in place on the structures. Y v

It is obvious, therefore, that my invention e eliminates entirely the annoyance and inconvenience frequently encountered heretofore in connection with the matter of providing certain types of structures withthe particular' name plates, or identifying devices ordinarily associated with saidV devices, and in addition trade is stimulated in connection Vwith such structures because of an added decorativefeature heretofore unknown in the art. i'

l claim:

Y A device of the class described, comprising a decorative body portion provided with-an opening formed therethrough, a recess surrounding said opening, an outwardly projected element surrounding said recess, a shoulder within said recess, a display-receiving panel removably secured to said shoulder and disposed in said recess, and fastening devices for securing said display-receiving panel to said body portion. Y

In testimony that l claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signature. t f

" RALPH H. STRAIT. 

